JILL SOBULE, BEN SOLLEE & JONAH SMITH

The Peace, Love & Understanding alt-inaugural Show

Thursday, January 19, 2017

We’ve been inspired by the election to host what we hope will be a very special PEACE, LOVE & UNDERSTANDING Alt-Inaugural concert extravaganza on Thursday, January 19, at Bethesda Blues & Jazz in downtown Bethesda.

This is new territory for us; we’re partnering with our friends at BlackBox Live, the Bethesda-based house concert series, and we’re hoping you and your friends -- and even friends of your friends (including those coming to march) -- will see this as a cathartic event that will bring us together at a time when we’re probably all feeling a bit frayed. Plus, a portion of the proceeds will benefit two great local nonprofits: Ayuda and Washington Womenade.

Two of our past artists, Ben Sollee and Jill Sobule, will be coming in from Kentucky and Los Angeles to perform, and the line-up will be filled out by Jonah Smith and his band, also in from LA.

As many of you know, Jill has a long history of using her music to promote social activism, Ben is a strong advocate for environmental and social causes, and Jonah has long been a voice for the politically disenfranchised. And they are all fantastic musicians and performers. They've been featured at Tiny Desk Concerts, TED and notable venues. And, now they are coming to play. We're hoping it helps us heal and be ready to deal with what is coming in the next four years.

For those of you who have not yet been to Bethesda Blues & Jazz, it was built in 1938 as one of the area’s great Art Deco cinemas. With a recent $8 million renovation, it’s now a state-of-the-art music supper club that features about 300 seats for dinner and almost 200 additional “performance” seats behind the table seating. It is an intimate, elegant, and acoustically superb setting. From Takoma Park and Silver Spring, it's just a straight shot down Rt. 410 and a right onto Wisconsin Ave., and there's free parking right on site. We are very excited to have landed it as the venue for this show.